Liquid proportioner



S. CASSESE LIQUID PROPORTIONER Filed Feb. 20, 1948 Aug. 7, 1951 INVENTOR. SALVA TO/PE 0455535 Patented Aug. 7, 1951 2,563,211 7 LIQUID PROPORTlONER Salvatore Cassese, Redwood City, Calif. Application February 20, 1948, Serial No. 9,752

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in systems or apparatus for controlling relative liquid flow, and particularly. for controlling the proportional relative rate of flow of liquids of differing specific gravity, such as flow. of a chemical .solu-'- tion proportional to the rate of flow of another fluid, such as water, to be treated with the chemical.

Since control of relative proportional fiow of water and a chemical provides one example of advantageous employment of the invention, the description herein is directed to embodiment of the invention to that purpose, it being understood that other liquids may be utilized in the same manner.

In supplying water fiow to swimming pools, boilers, or to drinking supply or other domestic purposes, it is often desirable to proportionally introduce a chemical into the raw water to counteract other chemicals or impurities therein.

An object of the invention is to provide a means for introducing small regulated quantities of liquids, such as achemical solution into another primary liquid flow, responsive to the pressure of the primary liquid flow. I

Another object is to proportionalize a. controlled flow of liquid relative to another responsive to the flow pressure of one of the liquids.

Another object is to provide means for exhausting air or gas accumulations from the liquids being proportioned.

A further object is to provide a proportioner device simplified mechanically, economical in manufacture, and efficient in operation, and generally to improve on proportioner devices of the character described.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will be apparent, or specifically pointed out in this specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, the one embodiment illustrated and described is a preferred example of employment of the invention, but various other forms may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings: 7 V

Fig. 1 is a schematic front elevation view of the invention partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a float member of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view of float member of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of float member of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a constriction member which is also shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a lateral transverse section of constriction member on line .66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a schematic side elevational View of a I modified form of the invention, partly in section. Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of tubular elastic diaphragm as shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding operational parts in the several views, I0 .is a hollow pressure tank or cylindrical container normally disposed verticallyas shown in the drawing, of suitable size generally circular in lateral horizontal transverse section, and preferably of transparent material, though its mechanical'operation would be similar if translucent or opaque material were employed. The bottom H of the tank container may be fixed relative to the side walls, but the tank container is provided with a top closure 42 readily removable.

The pressure tank may be supported on a bracket I3 having a screw clamp M at its upper end for bearing on. the top !2 to removably secure the top upon the tank.

Means are provided within the tank for separating a primary liquid such as waterindicated I I5, and another or secondary liquid such as a supply of chemical reagent it the secondary liq uicl being of greater specific gravity. V 7

As illustrated in its preferred form in Fig. 1 the separator means comprises a float ll having greater specific gravity than the water or other primary liquid into which another or secondary liquid is to be, proportionately injected, the float being of lesser specific gravity than the secondary liquid which is to be fed into the primary liquid, whereby the float will be suspended between the two liquids in the tank and float upon the upper surface of secondary liquids of greater specific gravity, and in that sense may be termed partially buoyant, or buoyant with relation only to the secondary liquid which is to be injected into the main line conduit. -The internal diameter of the tank is uniform in that portion within which thefloat operates. v w

The float is of over-all diameter so as to have snug but not restricted slidable clearance with the inner wall of the tank, and preferably has the upperportion of its body formed as a disc of substantial thickness providing acircumferential side wall [8 of sufiicient depth for facilitating the maintenance of the float co-axial with the tank independently and free of other aligning means, the side wall having a plurality of recessed 'or grooved vents [9 from its bottom to top, which, as shown in a preferred form, have opposed side walls tapered or inclined divergently outward from top to bottom, the grooved vents being suflicient in number so that the major portion of the lower edge of the side wall is included within the grooved vents and the vent area at the bottom of the side wall is substantially continual circumferential of the float. The bottom wall l8a of the float is invertedly conical, thus the better to maintain buoyancy of the float and dispose it co-axial with the axis of the tank, as well as to provide an upwardly inclined surface at the bottom face of the float along which air or gas bubbles flow to the vents IS with practically no surface tension and rise through the'upper body of water to be exhausted through an air vent in the cover, the cover preferably having its inner plane face inclined towards the air vent as shown at [2a.

The grooved vent IS in the side wall of the float also serves to reduce the area of the side wall in slidable contact with the inner wall of the tank thus reducing resistance to the very sensitive movement of the float axially of the tank so that the movement of the float is slidably unrestricted. The flow system associated with the tank comprises a main feed conduit 2| for a primary liquid such as water which is to be treated by relative proportioning of another or secondary liquid. It is to-be assumed that the water has a pressure head, otherwise it would not flow. At a position adjacent the tank I0 the main feed conduit 2! has therein means to constrict its tubular area, such as a bafile or constriction member 22, or it may also comprise a venturi. The constriction member shown in a preferred form herein, is an elongated member semi-circular in section at one end portion with an inclined face presenting a parabolic face 22a: in the direction of the source of pressur flow, and having its body tapered cuneiform from the semi-circular section towards its opposite end as at 22b.

Forwardly of the constriction member, that is, toward the source of flow, the main conduit is tapped by a branch tap line conduit 23, the other end of which communicates with one end of the tank which is to contain the liquid water from the main feed line. Preferably such communication is accomplished by forming a portion 23a of flexible'tubing connected at joint 23b and entering the tank through the cover member l2 as at 24, whereby the cover may be removed and replaced with the conduit tube attached thereto. Intermediate the joint 23b and connection with the feed line, the tap line conduit is provided with a regulated calibrated control valve 25.

The opposite or bottom end I l of the tank is provided with an outlet oriflce 26 which has connected therein an end of an injection line conduit 21 having a flexible portion 21a coupled as at 211') and communicating with the opening 26 of the tank and also having its opposite end communicating with the main feed line beyond the constricti'on member at a position farther removed from the tank in the direction of main line flow than the connection of the tap line 23. Preferably the connection of the injection line is adiacently beyond the rear or parabolic wall 22a of the constricting bafile 22. The injection line 21 likewise has a control valve 28 which may be of check valve type, between the connecting joint 21?) and the communication with the main feed line.

A by-pass conduit 29 is provided communicating between the non-flexible portion of the tap line 23 beyond the valve and the injection line 21 beyond the valve 28, the by-pass conduit also having a calibrated regulating control valve 30 intermediate its length.

In operation the chemical reagent [6 is placed in the tank by removal of the cover l2, this being convenient by reason of the releasable threaded clamp 14 and the flexibility of the conduit 23a. The float is then inserted or is already within the tank, and, since the float is of greater specific gravity than the chemical and lesser specific gravity than the water it floats between and thereby separates the two liquids of varying specific gravity as indicated I5 and I6.

.Theitop cover being replaced, and flow pressure being assumed in the main feed line, the valve 25 is opened to a predetermined calibrated position, the back-pressure or resistance to flow created by the, constriction member or bafile wall at 22a thereby causing water .to flow through the tap line conduit 23 and flllthe upper compartment of the tank. Thus, pressure as regulated by the valve 25 is exerted upon the float l1 thereby forcing the chemical reagent 16 through the outlet conduit 21a through the check valve 28 and into the main feed conduit through the injector conduit 21. As stated, the injector conduit 21 communicates with the main conduit farther removed than the tap line and preferably beyond the rear end wall of the constriction bafile member, the latter acting in the nature of a venturi increasing velocity of flow in the main feed conduit at the constricted area, whereby the injected chemical is carried to the stream of the primary liquid or water.

If it is desired to dilute the proportion of the chemical relative to the volume of water, especially for any temporary purpose, this may be accomplished by suitably regulating the valve 30 in the by-pass line to cause flow of water direct from tap line conduit 23 into the injection line 21.

Preference for a transparent tank is for the reason it is desired that the supply of chemical be always open to view, this system being devised for simplification, and no attempt being made to incorporate into the structure anautomatic continuous feed for the chemical. When a supply of chemical is exhausted from the tank, a cycle of operation is completed, the cover is removed by loosening the clamp M without necessity for detaching the conduit 23a, the tank may be in-. verted, due to flexibility of the tube 21a, its water content and float removed, and the complete tank cleaned before refilling and replacing in operation.

In the modification of Figs. 7 and 8, the float I 1 is eliminated from the tank (0 and in lieu thereof the separator for the two liquids is an elastic diaphragm tubular open-ended sleeve 35 provided to fit within the tank and hold the supply of chemical l 6. The opposite ends of the tube are outwardly flanged as at 35a, one end of the diaphragm tube such as the bottom, may tightly be secured to the inner face of the tank wall by an inwardly opening annular groove 36 to supplement which the bottom of the tank may engage the end of the tube to press it into the groove as at 31. The opposite end of the diaphragm tube may be tightly held by its flange engagement with the tank wall and impingement thereon of the inner face of the cover. In this modification, the .tap line feed conduit 23a enters the tank through th wall thereof adjacent the top, and thus feeds water into the tank fromthe main supply line, circumferentially about the diaphragm tube and thus exerts pressure on thechemical within the elasticdiaphragm to extrude it throughthe bottom outlet 26 into-injector conduit 27 Otherwise the pipe system operatively between the tap line conduit 23a and the injector conduit Z'la may be the same as in Fig. 1.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

'1. A liquid proportioner device for connection to a main line feed conduit which has a flow constricting bafiie therein, comprising a cylindrical tank, a separator unrestrictedlysnugly slidable inthe tank for'dividing it into two compartments for respectively receiving'a-primary liquid from th main line and a-secondary liquid which is to be proportionally fed into the main line, said sep: arator comprising a flo'aflbuoyant withr'elation only to said secondary liquidwhich is to be proportionally fed whereby it is adapted to float between said liquids, and said separator having a circumferential side wall of suflicient depth to align the separator coaxially with the tank, a

tap line conduit connected into the main line conduit operatively forward of the constricting baflle and communicating between the main line conduit and the primary liquid compartment of the tank, and a second conduit communicating between an outlet of the secondary liquid compartment of the tank and. the main feed conduit beyond said baflie, for injecting secondary liquid from said secondary liquid compartment into the main line conduit, said float having a vent area therethrough from its bottom to top, the walls leading to the outlet of the vent area being convergingly tapered, and the open area at th bottom of the vent area extending substantially continually circumferentially of the float side wall,

2. A liquid proportioner device for connection to a main line feed conduit which has a constricting baffle therein, comprising a cylindrical tank having an air-vented cover, a separator unrestrictedly snugly slidable in the tank for dividing it into two compartments for respectively receiving a primary liquid from the main line and a secondary liquid which is to be proportionally fed into the main line, said separator comprising a float buoyant with relation only to said secondary liquid which is to be proportionally fed, and said separator having a circumferential side wall of suflicient depth to align the separator coaxial with the tank, a tap line conduit connected into the main line conduit operatively forwardly of the constricting baflie and communicating between the main conduit and the primary liquid compartment of the tank, and a second conduit communicating between an outlet of the secondary liquid compartment of the tank and the main line conduit operatively beyond the constricting means, for injecting secondary fluid from said other compartment into the main line conduit, the circumferential side walls of the float having a plurality of circumferentially spaced vents grooved therein through the body of the float, said grooved vents having an area of opening at the underface of the float occupying a major portion of the circumference of the float.

3. A device of the character described for connection to a main line feed conduit which has a flow constricting baflie therein, comprisin the combination of a cylindrical tank, a separator in the tank for dividing it into two compartments for respectively receiving a primary liquid from the main line and a secondary liquid which is to be proportionally fed into the main line, a tap line conduit connected into the main line fore the'mainline conduit and the'primary liquid compartment of'thetank and the main conduit for injecting liquid from said secondary liquidcompartmentintothe mainline conduit, saidsep-- arator in the tankcomprising a float buoyant withl'relation to the secondary liquid only, said float having a plurality of vents therethrough and being provided with acircumferential side wall of substantial depth'which has unrestricted snug slidable clearance "with the tank wall and said float having its underside;invertedly conical from the edge of its, sidewalls inthedirection of the outlet opening'with which said second conduit communicates, said vents comprising grooves circumferentially spaced in the side wall of the float, and the grooves havin a greater area of opening at the lower face of the float than at the upper face, the openings at th lower face of the float occupying a major portion of the circumference of the float.

4. A device of the character described for connection to a main line feed conduit which has a flow constricting baflie therein, comprising a cylindrical tank, a separator float in the tank for dividing it into two compartments for respectively receiving a primary liquid from the main line conduit and a secondary liquid which is to be proportionally fed to the main line conduit, a tap line conduit connected into the main line conduit operatively forwardly of the constricting means and communicating between the main line conduit and the primary liquid compartment of the tank, and a second conduit communicating between an outlet of the secondary liquid compartment of the tank and the main line conduit at a connection operatively beyond the constricting means, for injecting liquid from said secondary liquid compartment into the main line conduit, said separator float having a circumferential side wall of suflicient depth to align the float coaxially with the tank free of other alignin means, the side wall of the float having snug slidable clearance with the tank wall and having its underside invertedly conical from the edge of the side walls toward the outlet opening with which said second conduit communicates, the side wall of said float having a plurality of circumferentially spaced grooved vents therein converging from the bottom to top, the lower openings of the vents o'ccupying a major portion of the circumference of the lower edge of the circumference of the side wall of the float.

5. A liquid proportioner device for connection to a main line feed conduit which has a flow constricting baflie therein, comprising a cylindrical tank, a separator float in the tank for dividing it into two compartments for respectively receiving a primary liquid from the main line and a secondary liquid which is to be proportionally fed into the main line, a tap line conduit connected into the main line forwardly of the baffle communicating between the main conduit and the primary liquid compartment of the tank, and a second conduit connected into the main line beyond said bafiie and communicating between an outlet of the secondary liquid compartment of the tank and the main line conduit for injecting liquid from said secondary fluid compartment into the main line conduit, said separator float being partially buoyant so as to float only with relation to the secondary liquid which is to be wardly of the bafile and communicating between fed to the main line conduit, and comprising a 7 disc body having a. circumferential side wall in snug slidable clearance with the tank wall and having its underside invertedly conical from'the edge of the side wall towards the outlet opening with which said second conduit communicates,

the disc body having axially disposed grooved vents spaced circumferentially thereof whereby air and gas may escape through said vent past the float, said grooved vents converging from bot tom to top of side wall, and a major portion'ot the circumference of the lower edge of the side wall Ibeing occupied by said vents. J

' SALVATORE CASSESE.

REFERENCES CITED The foilowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

Nu be Number 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Elfreth Jan. 22, 1907 Bayless June 29, 1926 Feet May 30, 1933 Randolph Jan. 9, 1934 Banks et a1. Feb. 13, 1934 Haering Oct. 20, 1936 Paine Dec. 15, 1936 Hegwein Dec. 3, 1940 Bowen Feb. 16, 1943 Owens Sept. 19, 1944 Hodgins July 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb. 23, 1938 

